Bottle handling device



y 1952 A. o. REINKING 2,597,181

BOTTLE HANDLING DEVICE Filed May 27, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented May 20, 1952 UNITED *smrss rer - FF EC E 9 Claims.

1 This invention relates to bottle. handling apparatus and more particularly to a portable device for gripping and. suppgrting a plurality of bottles, ornjars, in spaced relation to each other. Bottles such as. are used for carbonated beverages, or-so-calledsoft drinks, beer, milk and similar beverages are. capable of being used a'number ofrtimesrthatis, after. the bottles have been emptied. they are returned to the bottling plant where they are cleaned andsterilized and then refilled for: resale. Bottles of. this type are usually packed incaseslfor'transport to and from the bottlingplant; These cases have partitions dividing. their. interiorinto compartments, each of which; is; adaptable to: receive a bottle.v These cases usually hold four rows of bottles with six bottles in. eachwrow so thatthe bottles are arranged in-rows in spaced relation to each other. The: compartments formedby the partitions are of-such size as to freely receive a bottle butto restrict lateral movement of the bottle to prevent adjacent bottlesfrom contacting each other to avoid breakage during the handling of the case.

When. the cases of bottles are returned to the bottling plant, the bottles-are removed from the cases and are fed to or placed in a machine, known. as a soaker,'where. they are subjected to a cleaning andsterilizing process to prepare them fpr refilling. The soaker is adapted to handle largeuquantities of the bottles at a rapid rateand; the-bottles are: ordinarily fed into the machine by; a. conveyor device to Which the bottles-mustbe fed from the cases.

ltg-has been proposed, heretofore, that bottle handling devices be employed for picking up a plurality of bottles simultaneously so as to increasethe rate off-feed tothesoaker and to eliminate; operator; injury due to the handling of br0l en;bott1BS.These devices-have not proven satisfactervhowever, particularly due to the fact that they: have not been adapted. to accommodate-battles that'havebeen; stuck'in the cases. These prior art devices (with the exception of thatshownin my copendingapplication, Ser. No.

'753,68&)v are so, aranged that they positively grip each ofgthebottles, but have not been capable of releas ing-.one bottlewithout releasing at least several additional bottles, as the gripping means thereof.hasbeenarranged to grip several-bottles between the same membersand; as a result, when the members have been separated to, release. a. stuck..bottle,-. they would also release at least several adjacent bottles. Therefore, all of the bottles in a..group,. including-a stuck bottle, must be hand fed. Consequently, these prior devices have not been successful andhave enjoyed but small use in the bottling plants.

Having in mind the defects of the prior art apparatus, itris an ,objectof'this invention to providea bottle handling'device that is an improvement over the device shown in the aforesaid copending application in thatit is simpler'arid less expensive to manufacture, yet still effective forof bottles in spacedirelationand to resilientlyand yieldably grip each of the bottles individually.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention as at present devised, the bottle handling device may comprise two spaced and parallel exterior'longitudinalbars fixed to opposite ends of cross bars which bridge the longitudinal bars and another-pair of spaced parallel gripping bars or rodsihung' from the central portions of the cross pieces to be slidable-thereon toward andfrom the exterior bars, the inner edge of each exterior bar being faced with resilient yieldablegripping material such, forinstance, as a tightly wound coil spring, or thelike, that co.- operatively'oppose said gripping bars or rods. A carrying handle structure is secured to the cross pieces and onthishandl'e structure is mounted a manually movable operating rod for sliding the movable gripping bars or rods toward their approximate exterior bars, respectively, to cause the necks of-bottles disposed between each movable bar or rod, and the exteriorbar to be clamped tightly betweenthem with such force that when the carrier is lifted the clamped bottles will normally be lifted with the: device. However, the yielding faces of the exterior bars which clamp against one side ofthe bottlenecks is such that, when the bottle is undulyrestrained against-being lifted, the gripping members will slide up wardly off from the bottle without causing any ofthe ,glamped. bottles to be released fromthe device that are notunduly restrained.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of, construction,: combination of elements invention may be had attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and illustrating certain possible embodiments of this invention, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the device;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line Z-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the top portion of a bottle in position to be grasped by the device;

Figure 3 is a detail of Fig. 2 and shows the gripping members of the device in gripping engagement with the bottle neck;

Figure 4 is a top view of a portion of the device in the vicinity of one of the cross pieces, the upper part of the handle structure being shown in section; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a detail showing the spring means placing the gripping bars in retracted normal position.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawmgs.

Referring to the drawings, a bottle handling device in accordance with the present invention may comprise a pair of spaced parallel exterior bars [0 and II secured to the opposite ends of a pair of cross bars l2 and I3. The inner edges of the bars l0 and H are faced with resilient yieldable material, which may take the form of tightly coiled compression springs H and I5. These springs may be secured to the bars l0 and H by means of suitable brackets l6 disposed between the areas of said springs which grip the bottles and which project inwardly for a distance from the bars II) and H and have their inner ends bent to encircle the springs l4 and I 5, thus spacing said springs from their supporting bars in and II for the purpose which will appear. Cotter pins 34, penetrating the end brackets and extending between the convolutions of the springs, hold the springs against longitudinal displacement in the brackets but allow easy replacement of the springs.

Each of the outer bars l0 and II with its facing of resilient yieldable material constitutes one gripping member of a pair. The other gripping member of each pair consists of a rod IT or l8 supported and mounted on the cross pieces l2 and I3 for transverse sliding movement, the rod I1 and the bar I9 constituting one pair of gripping members and the rod l8 and the bar I l constituting the other pair of gripping members. At each cross-piece I2 and l3, rod I! is slidably supported thereon by means of a connecting arm I9, the upper end of which rotatably encircles the bar I! and has a finger formation extending over and slidably resting on the adjacent cross piece. The bar I8 is similarly slidably supported on the cross pieces l2 and 13 by means of similar connecting link arms 2!, the upper ends of which encircle the bar l8 and each has a finger formation 2'2 which slidably rests on the adjacent cross piece.

The lower ends of the connecting link arms [9 and 2| rotatably encircle an operating rod 23 disposed between and extending longitudinally of the bars I! and I8. Suitable means, such as a cotter pin 24, penetrating the rod 23 at each end prevent the latter from sliding out of engagement with the link arms I9 and 2|. Of course, the rod 23 need not be a single rod extending from one cross-bar I2 to the other cross-bar l3, but may be two short stub shafts if desired.

A bail-like handle structure is provided that may consist, at each end, of a strip of sheet metal having an upright portion 25 in the shape of an inverted U and diverging leg portions 26 ending in flat feet portions 21 which seat on and are secured to the longitudinal outer bars l0 and H, and, preferably also, to the cross-pieces l2 and 13 so that the legs 26 extend upwardly therefrom. A grip-handle 28 extends between and is secured to the top of the side portions 25 of the handle structure. Mounted to slide vertically in the channels formed by the inverted U portions '25 of the side members of the handle structure, are the end portions of a rod 29 positioned to underlie the grip-handle 28 in convenient reach of the finger of the gripping hand of the user and is held against becoming displaced longitudinally from the side members by a suitable washer 30 or the like, on each end of rod 29, and cotter pins 3| which penetrate the rod 29 outside of each washer 30. At each side of the handle structure is a link rod 32 which depends from the rod 29 and has its upper end encircling the rod 29 intermediate the washer 39 and the adjacent side of the handle structure. These link rods 32 extend through an aperture 35 in the cross-pieces l2 and I3, respectively, and have their lower ends encircling the rod 23 so that, as the operable rod 29 of the handle structure is raised and lowered therein, the links 32 and the rod 23 are raised and lowered likewise.

It will be apparent that as operable rod 29 is raised the gripping rod [1 will be moved toward the gripping member ID and the gripping rod [8 will likewise be moved toward the gripping member l I. A spring 33, encircling the operating rod 23 and having it ends engaged with the gripping rods I'I and I8, biases the latter to urge them toward each other and toward the center of the bottle handlin device into a normally opened position sufliciently spaced from the gripping members [0 and l l to permit the bottle handling device to be lowered over an array of bottles so that the necks of the bottles, such, for instance, as shown at B in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, will be disposed between the gripping members of each pair. Then by raising the finger-operable-rod 29 the gripping rods [1 and I8 may be moved toward the respective springs 14 and 15 on their supporting members 10 and H so that each pair of gripping members will clamp against opposite sides of the bottle necks with sufficient force that when the bottle handling device is lifted all of the engaged bottles will be lifted thereby except only those, if any, that are unduly restrained. against being lifted, as for instance, by foreign matter which wedges a bottle in its case.

Should any one or more of the bottles be unduly restrained against being lifted, the yielding resiliency of the facing of the longitudinal members I0 and l l is such that, when th bottle handling device is lifted, the device will pass upwardly off of the unduly restrained bottle or bottles without causing the release of any bottle that is not unduly restrained against being lifted. Ob-

. viously, the brackets 16 which hold the resilient the resilient yieldable facing and not against the clamp.

, When the bottle handling device is ,used, it is carried by means of the handle 28 to a position theabottles; in abottlewcase. and. then with the finger-onerable-rod l9v inits lower position, the deviceis lowered oven-the bottles; and in this adjustment of.--the device; the. device may be freely lowered over: the; bottles until the necks of. the bottlesbeeome: disposed between the respective pairs of gripping members lill-'l and lll8. The operator then causes the. fingers of his hands holdingtheghandqgrip 28 to grasp the operable rod 2.9.:andpulls itup toward the handle 28. This. movesthe: gripping-bars: I] and I 8 toward; the fixed; bars Hi and. I], and causes the bottles-to; be gripped by thedevice forxlifting.

- It-is:tobe-:no,ted that the; device is ofjexceedeingly simple:;and.l inexpensive construction and.

does: notiarenuirespecial dies or specialmaehim eryrforitszconstruction.

; It-iszalso;tofbenoted that his a.- very simple.- mattBr-andLeasy, to replace: parts of the. device. For. instance, to replace theoperating rod 23 ;it is. merelynecessary to: remove one or. both of; the cotterpinsfli. atoneend of. the rodand to slide the rod out-of the. bands; which encircle it- The same isitruepwith respect to the operable bar. 29.

Toreinoveiaspring' it.is;only necessary to remove the --c.0t.ter::pins: at, its ends and draw the spring out ofithebracketsiii.- For the purposes of this casethe parts comprising the bail handle and the crossbars l2 and I3, or their equivalent, may be considered; as a carrierframe when considering.

the appended claims.

Although certain specific embodiments of the, invention have been shown and described, it is quite obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

That which is claimed, as new, is:

1. A bottle handling device including, in combination, a carrier frame, a pair of bottle gripping-members mounted on the carrier frame, one of said gripping members having a resiliently yieldable gripping face, one of said gripping members being mounted on the frame so as to be movable into a position thereon sufficiently spaced-from the other gripping member to free,- ly receive the necks of bottles between them, said movable gripping member being normally biased to said spaced position, and an operable device engaging the movable gripping member and operable to move the movable gripping member toward the other gripping member, whereby the necks of bottles disposed between the gripping members are clamped between the gripping members with such clamping force that, when the carrier is lifted, the clamped bottles will normally be lifted thereby, the said yielding resiliency of the gripping face of the one of the gripping members allowing the gripping members to slide upwardly off from one or more of said bottles without lifting the latter when unduly restrained against being lifted.

2. A bottle handling device including, in combination, a carrier frame, a pair of bottle gripping members mounted on the carrier frame, one of said gripping members having a length of resilient yieldable gripping material and movable toward and from said edge and along one edge constituting its gripping face, one of said gripping members being mounted on the frame so as to be movable into a position thereon sufiiciently spaced from the other gripping member to freely receive the necks of bottles between them, said movable gripping member being normally biased V toysaid snaced position; andaanoperable device engaging the, movable gripping member and operableto move; .themovable gripping-member toward. the other; grippingmember... whereby the necks: of bottles.disposedbetween the gripping members: aregiclamped-between the gripping members with,suohiclampingforcethat, when the carrier-isvlifted; the clamped bottles will normally be lifted thereby, the said'yielding resiliency of the gripping face of the one of the gripping members allowing, the grippingymembers to slide upwardly off, from one ormore bottles withoutliftin the latter, when unduly" restrained against being lifted.

3.. Abottle-lhandling device including. in combi-. nation grippingmembers disposed to lieon oppogsite sides of, theneck portions of arow'of, bottles. means mounting one of said members for relative movement toward the other member intofl' m aidspring. ing spaced fromits said supporting member to be resiliently movable, to andzfro relative tov said member enabling. the bottle head to'be withdrawn from between said gripping members, against the pressure of said spring-while saidgr-ipping members are in bottle neck. gripping position.

. 4. Atbottle handling device including in combination,- elongated gripping members disposed to-lieonopposite sides of the neck portions of a row of. bottles,.-means mounting one of said mem- .bers: for, relative. movement toward the other member: into bottle neck gripping. position and away'from saidother; member to release said bottlesnone of said members having ahelical spring mountedthereon, in position providing the gripping surface of-sa'id member and having brackets spaced along the length of the sprin intermediate its bottle gripping portions and supporting said. spring; spaced from said. member, thus enablingthebottle head to be withdrawn from between said gripping members againstthe pressure of said spring while said gripping members are in bottle neck gripping position.

5. A bottle handling device including gripping members disposed to lie on opposite side of the neck portions of a row of bottles, means mounting one of said members for relative movement toward the other member to grip the neck portions of bottles between them and away from said other member to release said bottles, one of said members including resilient yieldable mean con-' stituting the gripping surface of said member, bracket means supporting said resilient yieldable means sui'liciently spaced from its said member to yieldably permit the bottle heads to be withdrawn from between said gripping members against the pressure of said resilient yieldable means while the gripping members are in bottle neck gripping position.

6. A bottle pick-up carrier adapted to be placed over and between pre-arranged rows of bottles comprising, in combination, a pair of spaced parallel bars, cross-pieces fixedly connecting said bars, another pair of spaced parallel movable bars substantially co-extensive with and between said other bars and positioned beneath said crosspieces, link arms having one end rotatably encircling said movable bars, respectively, at the cross-pieces and their other ends extending downwardly and each having fingers extending over the cross-pieces and slidably resting thereon whereby the cross-pieces slidably support said movable bars for movement thereon toward and from said fixed bars, a handle structure attached to said cross-pieces, manuallyoperable means disposed between said movable bars and connecting the lower ends of said link arms and operable to move said link arms to slide said movable bars in unison toward and from their adjacent fixed bar, respectively, and resilient yieldable means mounted along the length of said fixed bars in cooperative opposition to their adjacent movable bar and freely yieldable to the pressure of bottles thereagainst, whereby upon being inserted over and between the necks of two rows of bottles, the necks of said bottles are yieldably gripped between said movable bars and resilient yieldable means and may be lifted and whereby any bottle unduly restrained against lifting will be withdrawn from between said bars and resilient yieldable means.

7. A bottle pick-up carrier as set forth in claim 6 wherein said handle structure comprises a bailhandle and a vertically movable horizontally disposed hand-bar mounted under said bail-handle to be grasped by the same handle graspin said bail and wherein said manually operable means includes a connecting rod connectin said handle-bar and the said other ends of said link arms.

8. A bottle pick-up carrier adapted to be placed over and between pre-arranged rows of bottles comprising, in combination, a pair of spaced parallel gripping bars, cross pieces fixedly connecting said bars, another pair of spaced substantially parallel movable gripping bars substantially co-extensive with and between said first bars and positioned beneath said cross-pieces, link arms having their upper ends rotatably encircling said movable bars, respectively, and having fingers extending over the cross pieces and slidably resting thereon, a lifting bail connected to said carrier, a movable operatin bar disposed below and between said movable bars, the lower ends of said link arms rotatably encircling said rod, biasing means normally urging said movable bars toward each other to non-gripping position, and operable means connected with said rod to slide said movable bars against said bias and toward said fixed bars respectively, whereby two rows of bottles may be simultaneously and yieldably gripped, when the carrier is inserted down over the necks of the bottles, and whereby one or more of said bottles unduly restrained against lifting will be automatically withdrawn from the carrier device, when the carrier devic is lifted and said gripping bars are in gripping position and retaining the other of said bottles.

' 9. In a bottle carrier of the character described, in combination, a carrier frame having a handle and adapted to be placed by movement of the carrier on opposite sides of the neck portions of a pre-arranged row of bottles, a pai of elongated substantially parallel clampin members mounted on the frame and relatively movable into and out of bottle clamping relation, and means for relatively moving said clampin members into and out of bottle clamping relation, one of said clamping members including a support bar and resilient yieldable material mounted along the edge of said bar and sufliciently spaced therefrom for free movement and facing the other clamping member in a position to yieldably press against a side of the necks of said bottles, when clamped by and between said clamping members, whereby a row of bottles may be simultaneously and yieldably clamped by said members and lifted and whereby one or more of said clamped bottles, which are unduly restrained against being lifted, will withdraw automatically from between said members while said members remain in clamping position and retaining other of said bottles.

ARTHUR O. REIN'KING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,005,235 Languth Oct. 10, 1911 1,898,393 Rickers Feb. 21, 1933 2,052,756 Elliott Sept. 1, 1936 2,281,730 Thompson May 5, 1942 2,341,496 Zethmayr Feb. 8, 1944 2,386,859 Hutoff, Jr Oct. 16, 1945 2,401,578 Miller June 4, 1946 

